Friday, November 27, 2009

We've been having Thanksgiving at our house for the last few years, mostly because Jim often worked on the Friday after Thanksgiving. It is becoming somewhat of a tradition for us to host Thanksgiving here, whether our family can come or not. My brothers do have other family they like to celebrate with sometimes.

This year we had Tim and Cindy with their boys, plus my folks. Lorene chose to work at Applebee's on the morning shift so we planned for a late dinner, which is a departure from our usual right at noon feast.

I love traditions as much as the next person, but I'm trying to cultivate a positive attitude for everything that happens, even change.

Our Thanksgiving weekend started with celebrating Nathan's birthday. Since he was born on Nov. 25th, Thanksgiving Day in 1993, his birthday means we always have chocolate cake as part of the Thanksgiving desserts. This year we had a cake for nephew Jake, too, since his birthday is in November.

This is a big one for Nathan --16 years old -- Wow, he's been looking forward to this, to the day he can drive off to Walmart by himself. The first thing he said about having his license, was that he wanted to run any errands that day. Luckily, he doesn't seem inclined to want to run all around yet. And I hope that never comes. He is a nice kid in a lot of ways.

There were a lot of candles to light, with Nathan's 16 and Jake's 13. Of course, those boys did the lighting themselves. Give a boy something to burn and a lighter and STAND BACK.

I didn't get a picture of Nathan's gifts. It was hard enough getting him to cooperate for the yearly picture of all three kids together than we take at Nathan's birthday time.

It's been fun to have these pictures as the kids grow up to see their sizes compared to each other. Nathan is taller than both girls. But I wonder if Lorene has shoes on, because Nathan does.

Aunt Cindy with a gift for Zane, he doesn't look interested. He doesn't know how much fun it is to rip paper of something for him. He does like digging in the magazine bin and tearing up those, though.

Entertainment

Nathan and Jake entertained themselves by wrestling all over the living room. The rest of us were entertained when Zane decided to join the fun.

Titus was giving us a demonstration of Taekwondo forms. This is the only picture that has most of us in it. Mom is hiding behind the computer and I am hiding behind the camera.

It was such a beautiful day! We never know what sort of day we'll have in November in Nebraska. The kids played outside before our big meal.

Nathan and Jake are showing Zane how to use the car. His first time in it.

The Big Feast

We had a HUGE turkey, 22#, a free range, hormone free chicken done in the rotisserie for Cindy, and ham, plus all the other things, sweet potato, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green bean casserole, dressing, jello, buns, butter, jam.

Since we didn't eat until 4, we had a snacky sort of eat all morning until 1:00, when I put everything away. I put out the relish tray I usually serve with the meal; sausage, cheese and crackers; a veggie tray; and little smokies.

Now for the Fun!

We've never yet let Zane have quite this much fun with his food. But it sure made us laugh and get some cute photos. They probably should go in the Entertainment section, since I don't think there was much eating going on.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Friendship quilts were all the rage when Jim and I were married. Mom put this one together for us and Grandma Appleman quilted it.

I was getting ready for Thanksgiving company and looking at it again brought back so many memories. I was thinking of Michelle and Retha of my generation being gone and stopped to think of the others that contributed blocks that are gone now.

I've had this on display on my quilt rack for 20 years and I want to look at it now and then.

We expect the older generations to be leaving us, it is harder when it is those my age or younger.

This is Nelita's block.

Aunt Ruby

Uncle Howard

Uncle Bob and Aunt Naomi

Aunt Wauneta

Uncle Lowell

Thelma Holmes

Russell Sayles

Roscoe Jelinek

Life goes on and oh, so quickly. People with blocks on this quilt that weren't married are now. There are more children than are mentioned on these blocks. Some of those children are married with their own children.

I enjoyed looking at my brother's blocks again. They weren't very old. I wonder if they did the work themselves. The ideas look like their own.

I liked Rod Snow's idea. Pretty good for a bachelor.

The Old Home Place

Time goes on and some things are gone forever. We don't really need physical reminder of the people we love, but they sure are nice to have.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

At the Assisted Living Center where Aunt Inez lives, the residents choose their birthday meal and have company come to share it. Debbie and I brought Zane along to share her birthday dinner a couple of days early since this year her birthday is on Thanksgiving Day.

Zane behaved beautifully, having slept all the way here. He ate his banana and drank his bottle while we enjoyed BBQ ribs and mashed potatoes. He spent his time looking all around.

Let loose, he was ready to run! Aunt Inez gave him a little ride, but he enjoyed better being on his own two feet. He wanted to look in every open door, push the walkers and pound on windows. He didn't get very far in any of those operations.

Here is Aunt Inez, almost 88 years old!

I'm sure glad Zane liked Debbie, it made the whole dinner and visit go much easier!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Last year, we dragged the kids out to the farm while Jim cut wood so they could help us load it up. Lynette took her bow and arrows, Nathan his airsoft guns, and Lorene her phone. Lynette was good help loading, Nathan a little and Lorene none. But, what hatched out of that day, (besides Lorene never wanting to step foot on the place again, she's NOT an outdoor girl) was the plan that Nathan would bring his friends out for a day to play at the farm.

These boys are just nuts for airsoft wars. It is NOT the sort of games that moms embrace. I just hold my breath, look the other way and hope for the best, knowing that boys have played Cowboys and Indians for years and not killed themselves, mind or body.

Packing up, ready to go. The guns and boys went in the van. The food, woodcutting paraphernalia, Lynette and Charlie (the dog) went in the pickup. Wise choice, Lynette.

Here's Jim laying down the law for the rules of the day. The boundaries were set, no shooting at the woodcutter, the cook, the campsite, or the dog, behave yourself, have fun, or else.

Now, these boys take this game seriously. I was trying to get a picture of the group before they took off, but it takes forever!!! All guns have to be loaded, checked and passed around. Stories of acquistion have to be told.

It was chilly when we got there, in the low 40's so everyone dressed up not only in their camo but sweatshirts underneath, too.

Even Lynette was willing to go for the first round.

This day to celebrate Nathan turning 16 wouldn't have been possible without the full cooperation of his parents. Luckily, Jim likes to come up here to cut wood and I like being outside as long as I'm not cold.

This is what Jim brings along to play with.

Nathan and I spent a little time planning what we should have to eat and I took care of the rest. I had a big list of things to take, food and snacks, and water and a lighter. And only ONE case of Mountain Dew.

The first thing I did was layer up (5 layers on top and wishing for another layer on the bottom) and set up camp. We borrowed a fancy grill and cooler set up and with the back of the van and a card table I was ready to feed people.

After I had everything all set up I made myself a cup of hot tea and sat down to enjoy it. Pretty nice to have plug in capabilties in the pickup!

Jim spent the day cutting up logs and splitting them. It is nice to have a good supply of wood at home for the fireplace.

Lynette got tired of playing with the boys after the first round and ensconced herself in the pickup with sketching materials, a comic book and Harry Potter. And as long as Lynette was busy in the pickup, Charlie was there faithfully waiting.

Once I started up the grill, Lynette found the warmest place, was right next to it!

One thing these boys found out about playing their games in the REAL country is there is a lot of room out there. They could walk around for a long time and never find the other team!

Finally, a break in the action.

Morgen. JC, Weston, Landon, Nathan L., Nathan K.

Now, it was time to recheck, repair, or replace all guns, retell in great detail of hiding places, strategies, tricks, jokes, and near misses.

One of the best jokes was Weston and Landon's full camouflage suits, that none of the others knew they had.

Trying out Nathan's new sniper.

I helped Jim load split firewood into the loader bucket, but eventually as the day waned bringing cooler temps, I stayed with Lynette by the fire enjoying the warmth and the s'mores we made.

A perfect toasted marshmallow.

This pile is one log, a small part of what we brought home.

I guess this post wouldn't be complete without a photo of the adults in the group. Lynette by this time was in some of my layers so I'm in Jim's coat. The boys laughed at how fat I looked, but I guess I'd rather be warm that look thin.

I sure hope the boys had a nice time. They didn't make it hard for us to enjoy our day. It gets dark so soon on these winter days so the party came to a natural end. We loaded up in the dark, prodding slow boys along who didn't want the day to end. They had to find a gun left in the heat of the action, they knew "just where it was". I can't believe they found it!

Nearly the best part of the day, for the boys anyway, was our extra driving around the harvested soybean field finding the road out, only to find a sheriff waiting for us when we drove out. He thought someone was out just messing around. It was dark out there, with no lights or markings to guide us.

I was glad to be home, I came home to a nice clean house, thanks to Lorene. It was too bad we had to unload everything in to it. Lorene was rather disgusted. It looked so nice until we all came home.

Friday, November 20, 2009

You know I think this little grandbaby of mine is the cutest baby in the world. I love him so much I could squeeze his little head off (as Lorene used to say). I love being able to catch him up and give him hugs and kisses and have him "waller" around on my lap. I love to roll him around on the floor and chase him.

I love him having naps so I can say how much I love him on this blog.Faces are a really nice thing to have attached to your head. And babies' heads and faces are pretty cute. Here is Zane right after his bath with his curls all over his head. Lorene and Grampa think he needs a haircut, and he probably does, but this Gramma LOVES those curls.

So, I thought I'd show everyone how cute Zane's face is. I thought about it because Zane FINALLY has a tooth. We can hardly get our fingers in Zane's mouth to feel his new little tooth, so I'm not going to get a picture. (Too hard anyway) He may be reluctant to have fingers in his mouth (other than his own) since there are five of us around here who have been trying to feel if the tooth is in yet for the past week. "Don't I have any rights around here!""Pbbbbbb" FaceUnhappy FaceBusy Face"I put one over on you" Face